December 16 – National Firearms Amnesty
As South Africa marked its first democratic elections on 27 April 1994, the country’s death profile resembled that of a nation at war – with more people shot dead than died on our roads. In this context, and under the leadership of Bishop Peter Storey, religious and community leaders organised South Africa’s first national firearms amnesty on the Day of Reconciliation. With endorsement from President Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and leaders across all faith communities, this historic event put gun control on the national agenda and planted the seeds for GFSA’s formation.

June 20 – Silent March
GFSA and the Johannesburg Community Chest coordinated a powerful Silent March at Zoo Lake, Johannesburg. Over 2,000 pairs of shoes were lined up in memory of the thousands killed by guns, generating massive media attention.

October 30 – Office Vandalised
Our offices were ransacked in a deliberate attack – papers scattered, equipment destroyed, and human excrement left in stairwells. This intimidation only strengthened our resolve.

“Whenever there is opposition to what you do, then you know you are on the side of justice and truth”

Sheena Duncan, founder, chairperson (1997-2004)

Firearms Control Act Passed
GFSA, together with members of the Gun Control Alliance, undertook intensive lobbying and public engagement during the submissions process – see Samuel Kobela’s story. We challenged the myth that gun control only affects gun owners and ensured that representatives from women’s and children’s groups, health sectors, and affected communities were heard. In 2000, Parliament passed the Firearms Control Act into law.

Published research shows the Firearms Control Act saved thousands of lives:

• Over 4,500 lives saved in five South African cities (2001-2005)
• Intimate femicide rates dropped from 4 women killed daily (1999) to 3 women daily (2009)
• Children’s firearm injuries declined significantly in the Western Cape

Samuel Kobela’s Parliamentary Testimony: A Voice from the Community
Samuel Kobela from Mapela – a poor rural community in Limpopo Province – made an oral submission to Parliament on the Firearms Control Bill. He reflects on the experience:

“When I heard I would be going to Cape Town to make an oral submission on the Firearms Control Bill, I got excited, nervous and proud. It would be my first time to fly and my first visit to Cape Town, Parliament, and the sea. When the Chairperson called my name, I felt nervous, but when I started talking I regained confidence. My presentation focused on two issues: Gun Free Zones and the Age Limit. I supported Gun Free Zones because they are about community safety – an initiative that had been running for three years in Mapela with growing resident support. I also objected to the age limit of 18 and proposed it should be raised to 25, which would exclude school-going children and make implementing Gun Free Zones in schools easier. After my presentation, the MPs applauded me for the work I’ve been doing.”

Million Faces Petition
Partnering with Amnesty International, Oxfam International, and IANSA, we presented the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the world’s largest visual petition. Twenty-eight thousand South Africans joined over 1 million citizens from 150 countries in support of a global campaign calling for tougher controls on the arms trade, leading to the legally binding Arms Trade Treaty in 2014.

“If Your Stolen Gun Was There, So Were You”
Our hard-hitting campaign with Y&R Advertising challenged gun owners’ responsibility for securing weapons. Beyond raising awareness, it resulted in a precedent-setting legal victory at the Advertising Standards Authority, affirming NGOs’ constitutional right to use advocacy advertising.

Gun Free Valentine
We launched our annual Gun Free Valentine campaign, raising awareness of how the law can remove guns from domestic violence situations. The campaign now runs globally through IANSA, reaching women worldwide. GFSA continues to use this campaign and other initiatives, like women’s dialogues and self-defence classes to empower women to realise their right to safety from gun violence.

“Gun Control and Violence: South Africa’s Story”
We published a landmark report tracking 25 years of gun control, documenting how gun-related deaths nearly halved from 34 to 18 people shot daily when firearms were strictly controlled (2000-2010).

Shoot for the Stars Campaign
In Atlantis, we inspired children to aim for their dreams instead of guns, using photography to help them visualise a future without gun violence.

Hero’s Journey Training
We conducted an intensive week-long leadership development programmes, equipping young people with tools to become effective advocates against gun violence and broader social injustice.

May 10 – Prinsloo Guns Class Action
We launched South Africa’s first class action holding the state accountable for leaking police guns to gang leaders, marking a new frontier in our work for safer communities and seeking both financial relief for families and improved police protocols on firearms and ammunition management. As a continuation of our work in holding the state accountable, we launched the Moms Movement project, supporting mothers who have lost children to gun violence to establish support groups and seek justice through the SAPS Police Inspectorate for failed murder investigations.